Welcome to my garden. Come in, take off your shoes, and let me offer you a seat in the shade, a cool drink, and friendly conversation while we enjoy the beauty of the day...

And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair. ~ Kahlil Gibran

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Oh, My Poor Child

Little Sprout had her checkup and immunizations today. Oh, it did not go well at all. She did wonderfully right up until the nurse wanted to measure her head, and then she started to get upset. She continued to get more and more upset as the nurse was doing the physical right up until the needles came out for the immunizations.......and then all hell broke loose.

She wasn't like this the last time she had to get shots. That time she cried for a few minutes and then was fine.

Today......today she screamed for several minutes and then continued to cry until I got her home, when she promptly fell asleep. She slept for about an hour and a half, and when she woke my Dad was right here with me and waiting for her to wake up. She cuddled with her beloved Grandpa and the two of them went on a short walk up to the post office. Now she is sitting quietly with her stinky blanket and just resting.

I feel so bad. She looks totally shell-shocked. Hopefully Tylenol and some of her favorite foods will make her feel a little better. I think she may sleep a lot today, which is fine with me.

On top of it all, the nurse was very concerned that Little Sprout doesn't speak yet. Oh, she says a few things, but the nurse made it seem as if she should be doing much more than she is. After doing some checking into the language milestones, I have decided the nurse is just an alarmist. Little Sprout does not use a lot of words, this is true. She does communicate quite well, though. She is at the top of the development curve for most of her physical skills, and seems to be very smart and inquisitive. I believe she doesn't use words because she is able to make us understand her without them.

Now, if she still isn't talking several months from now I might start worrying. Right now? I think she is doing just fine.

7 comments:

Dudette.... Don't push the speaking. I'm seriously convinced that (at least with girls) once they start talking they NEVER shut up. *wink* (And I say that AS a girl who talks too damned much oftentimes.)

I'm sorry she felt so cruddy with the appointment. I hope she feels better quickly, though maybe you should be taking advantage of her feeling so tired right now. *wink*

I don't know her exact age, but judging from recent pictures, I would say that it's nothing to worry about yet. You're right on - watch her for the next several months. If she makes no gains, then you MAY have something to be concerned about. Did she see the doctor, or just the nurse? If I were that nurse, I wouldn't make a snap judgement based on her behavior in a strange place.

It is my observation that children who do not go to a daycare tend to speak later than children who are in a setting with several same-aged peers and just one or two adults. I was going to do my graduate thesis on the topic ... but I had to drop out of grad school, because I got a job ;).

I wouldn't worry too much about it ... until she's like ten and still points and grunts when she wants a glass of water ;).

I wouldn't worry about the talking thing. A friend of mine has a little one that is almost 3 and she worried everyone with her lack of talking. Then in the last few months, she all of a sudden started talking and shocked the hell out of everyone with her vocabulary, like she was storing it up and processing it, waiting for the right moment to put it to use!

Can't stand those alarmists!! They think 5 minutes with your child makes them an expert on what's best for them.

My father didn't talk until around age 4. Doctors thought it had something to do with the little piece of skin under the tongue so they snipped it *shudder* but the real culprit turned out to be his 5 siblings who were all older. They got him anything he grunted or pointed at. No work on my fathers part.

When Teenager was that age, I knew what she wanted and I would gladly give it to her. Bear, on the other hand, didn't understand a darn thing she was trying to say so with utter frustration, Teenager had NO choice but to begin developing the words. She probably would have been a later talker if Bear hadn't have been clueless. LOL

Don't worry about it dear. the wee Sprout will talk when it's time. :)